# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_2007_S158
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

158

RESOLUTIONS
(e) The reviewer’s primary concern is that items submitted to him be in agreement in their doctrinal
content with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.
(f) The reviewer(s) shall also be concerned that the
items submitted do not contain statements that are
inadequate, misleading, ambiguous, or lacking in
doctrinal clarity.
(g) The reviewer(s) shall further be concerned that resolutions of the Synod be honored and upheld and
that positions deviating from the doctrinal resolutions of the Synod be clearly identified as such.
(h) When the author is also a reviewer, his material
shall be assigned to another reviewer. In order to
avoid any conflict of interest, no author shall be involved in any way in the selection or assignment of
reviewer(s) for his or her own work.
(i) The reviewer may request that specific material assigned to him also be reviewed by another reviewer.
(j) Where changes appear to be necessary, the reviewer(s) shall submit a thorough and clearly written documented critique that shall be made available to the author, the sponsoring group, and the
publisher. The documentation provided by the reviewer(s) shall provide a thorough and detailed explanation, with all appropriate biblical and confessional references used to support the opinion
offered.
(k) The author shall consider the critique and make
necessary revisions until there is agreement between the author and the reviewer(s).
(1) Should any problem arise between an author, a
reviewer(s), the publisher, or any other party involved with respect to the material submitted
for review, the sponsoring group shall endeavor
to resolve it to the satisfaction of the reviewer(s).
If it cannot do so, the problem shall be submitted to the Commission on Doctrinal Review
under, which shall follow the appeals procedure
and criteria stated in Bylaw 3.9.3.2.1.

Commission on Doctrinal Review
3.9.3

(a) Within seven business days Aafter receipt of an
appeal, the chairman of the Commission on Doctrinal Review shall inform all concerned and shall
appoint three members of the commission to
serve as a review panel and shall designate one
as its chairman. A panel member shall disqualify
himself on the basis of any kind of personal involvement in the issue.
(b) The review panel shall provide a copy of the appeal to the author and the sponsoring group and
invite them to provide a response to the appeal.
All parties to the appeal shall be given 14 days to
provide their response.
(bc) To aid objectivity, the identity of author and review panel shall ordinarily not be disclosed.
However, consultation may at times be necessary for clarification.
(cd) In making its recommendation, the panel shall
decide within 30 days whether the item in question
(1) is suitable for publication; or
(2) may be published after alteration; or
(3) may be published as a study document; or
(4) shall be denied publication.
(de) The decision of the panel shall be determined by
a majority vote and shall be final so far as the
Commission on Doctrinal Review is concerned.
A report together with the panel’s minutes shall
be submitted to the chairman of the Commission
on Doctrinal Review.
(ef) The chairman of the commission shall report the
decision within seven business days to the author, the original reviewer(s), the sponsoring
group, and the President of the Synod.
Appeals Following Publication
3.9.3.2.2 A challenge to the doctrinal review certification of a
published item may be initiated by any member of
the Synod and shall be submitted in writing via mail
or personal delivery to the chairman of the Commission on Doctrinal Review.

The Commission on Doctrinal Review exists to assist
the President of the Synod in the exercise of his responsibility that all doctrinal content in its or any of
its agencies’ materials be in accord with Scripture and
the Lutheran Confessions.

(a) In order for the Commission on Doctrinal Review
to consider a challenge, the challenger is obliged
to provide specific references demonstrating how
the published item is not in agreement with
Scripture and the Lutheran Confessions.

3.9.3.1 The Commission on Doctrinal Review shall consist of
five members appointed by the President of the Synod
from the total number of doctrinal reviewers.

(b) After receipt of the challenge, the chairman of the
commission shall within seven business days inform the President of the Synod, the sponsoring
group, and, if applicable, Concordia Publishing
House, and shall appoint three members of the
commission to serve as a review panel, and shall
designate one as its chairman.

(a) The commission shall elect its own officers.
(b) The commission shall effect its own organization.
3.9.3.2 The Commission on Doctrinal Review functions in accordance with Bylaw section 1.9 and shall meet as
often as necessary to provide guidelines for the work
of doctrinal reviewers and to concern itself with problem areas in the procedures of doctrinal review and appeals.
Appeals Prior to Publication
3.9.3.2.1 Appeals regarding materials not yet published may
be initiated by an author, the sponsoring group, or
an executive staff member of that group and submitted to the chairman of the Commission on Doctrinal
Review.

2007 Convention Proceedings

(c) The chairman of the Commission on Doctrinal Review shall provide a copy of the appeal to the
President of the Synod, the sponsoring group,
and, if applicable, Concordia Publishing House,
and offer them the opportunity to respond to the
appeal within 14 days from the date of notification.
(cd) To aid in maintaining objectivity, the identity of
the challenger and the identity of the panel will
ordinarily not be disclosed. There shall be no pub-